Hallowe'en Focus: Pumpkin carving

Licensees can get into the spirit of Hallowe'en this year by entering their pumpkin carvings into a competition run by the 'unofficial beer of Hallowe'en', Hobgoblin.

As well as coming up with an unprecedented package of support around the brand for pubs (see box), brewer Wychwood is offering licensees a host of prizes in a Hobgoblin competition run in conjunction with The Publican.

Up for grabs are 250 free pints of Hobgoblin and a cheque for £500, which can be donated to a charity of your choice. Two runners-up will also receive 100 free pints of the ale, as well as a £100 cheque for charity. The first 50 entries will get a free Hobgoblin T-shirt.

Pubs are also being encouraged to host pumpkin-carving events in the run-up to Hallowe'en. Wychwood believes this can drive trade in a period that is "now the biggest retail opportunity after Christmas and Easter".

Follow these top tips on pumpkin carving from Wychwood to stand a frighteningly good chance of winning the competition.

1. Choose your pumpkin wisely

Pick the size of your pumpkin according to what you want to carve.

• Medium-sized pumpkins - work best for most stencil designs

• Very large pumpkins - for intricate designs, and as a 'centrepiece' on a table

• Small pumpkins - may be scattered about for parties, or set in a row on a path or driveway

• Tall, narrow pumpkins look very different in character to…

• …round, squat pumpkins - so choose the 'personality' you want

• If using a stencil design, select a pumpkin that is close to the shape of the stencil pattern

• Select pumpkins that are uniformly orange, ripe and have no bruises or faults.

2. Use the right carving tools

Specialist pumpkin carving kits can be bought from major supermarkets for around £4. Most include:

• A boning knife - best to cut the top hole and large pieces from the face of the pumpkin

• Paring knife - can be used for detailed work

• Cutting saw - for carving fine, detailed areas, this can be used for the entire pumpkin

• Poker tool - used to transfer a stencil design onto a pumpkin. Alternatively, you could use a nail or an artist's stylus tool (found at most art and craft shops)

• Gutting spoon - a strong scoop for removing the seeds, pulp and skin from the inside of the pumpkin. An ice-cream scoop is also perfect.

3. Pre-mark your design onto your pumpkin

Use a crayon, or if you want to create really detailed carvings use a stencil for your pattern. Printable stencils can be found on websites such as www.carvingpumpkins.com. Use a nail to punch through the stencil and mark the design.

4. Scrape the bottom of your pumpkin flat

That way, a candle will sit level inside.

5. Once you've completed your design, carve excess pumpkin in the interior off at a 45 degree angle

This will allow more light to come through and show the design to its fullest.

6. Use the correct lighting to best display your pumpkin

Tea-lights are ideal, and several can be placed in one pumpkin to give more light. Plain white candles give off the most light. Never leave a lit candle unsupervised, nor children unattended with lit candles.

7. Coat the edges of the pumpkin with Vaseline

This will help preserve your pumpkin. The Vaseline acts as a barrier to seal in the pump-kin's internal moisture and helps slow down the dehydration process. Use a paper towel with Vaseline on it to coat the inside.

As we all know, there are many things that can be brought back from the dead at this time of year. And pumpkins are no different from vampires or zombies! If your pumpkin starts to dry out and shrivel, you can revive it by simply soaking it in water overnight.